1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a spring-loaded reel or spring reel and more particularly to a spring reel retraction speed governor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hoses and electrical cords are frequently wound upon a spring-loaded reel. When it is desired to use the hose or electrical cord, the hose or cord is pulled from the reel against the action of a spring. When the hose or reel has been pulled to its desired extended position, the spring-loaded reels normally employ a latching system to maintain the hose or cord in the extended position. When it is desired to rewind or retract the hose or cord, the hose or cord is pulled outwardly a small amount to disengage the latching system. The spring-loaded reel then rewinds the hose or cord thereon due to the spring causing the retraction rotation of the reel. In the event that the operator should lose his grip on the hose or cord as it is being rewound by the spring associated with the reel, the hose or cord could strike a person or object causing damage to the person or object as well as damage to the equipment associated with the hose or cord. When the hose or cord is in its extended position, the latching mechanism sometimes becomes disengaged which causes the spring-loaded reel to rapidly rewind the hose or cord upon the reel which may also result in the hose or cord striking a person or object as explained above.
It is believed that attempts have been made to solve the problems outlined above through the use of mechanical governors or the like in an attempt to control the retraction speed of the hose or cord. However, it is believed that the mechanical governors are subject to failure and are quite complicated and expensive.
A governor or hydraulic brake mechanism is described for use with a spring-loaded reel or spring reel as it is sometimes called. The reel is adapted to have a hose or electrical cord wound thereon. For purposes of description, the spring-loaded reel will be described as a cord reel having an electrical cord wound thereon. The spring-loaded reel is rotatably mounted on a cord reel support. As the cord is pulled or unwound from the reel, the conventional spring associated with the reel resists the rotation of the reel as the spring is wound. The governor or braking mechanism of this invention comprises a hydraulic gear pump which is mounted on the reel support and which includes an internal hydraulic circuit consisting of a variable metering valve which is used to control the free retraction speed of the spring-powered rewind reel. The hydraulic gear pump is driven via a changeable ratio drive. The metering or restricting valve can be adjusted to reduce the flow of fluid through the valve. The restricted flow causes a resistance to rotation of the pump shaft of the hydraulic pump causing a braking force on the spring reel. The braking force is proportional to the rotational speed of the reel which causes the reel to reach a maximum desired speed, which can be set by the operator of the spring reel. Limiting the retraction rate of the reel makes the reel much safer to operate, eliminating most of the dangers associated with prior art designs.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a governor or braking mechanism for a spring-powered cable or hose rewind reel.
A further object of the invention is to provide a selectively adjustable hydraulic braking mechanism which is used to control the free retraction speed of a spring-powered cable or hose rewind reel.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a governor or hydraulic braking mechanism which is readily adaptable to conventional spring-powered hose or cable reels.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.